


Kharonai Childe

by rebelkitty84



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dumbledore Bashing, Gen, Good Dementors, Greek Mythology - Freeform, Mental Health Issues, Weasley Bashing, azkaban AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-11-16 12:36:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11253318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelkitty84/pseuds/rebelkitty84
Summary: The Kharonai are the Soul Carriers, once venerated in ancient times by the Muggles in Ancient Greece who knew them as the Charon, the Ferrymen, who carried the souls of the recently departed across the River Styx to the Elysian Fields... Or Tartarus.Many centuries ago Wizardkind enslaved a group of the Kharonai and forced them to perform unspeakable acts, tortured them and treated them as animals. They became known as Dementors and were feared the world over... But still only desired their freedom.Their Seer had a Vision of the one who could save them.The Saviour of one race could be the Saviour of them All... Depending on how the wheels of Fate turned.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a result of joking that even the Dementors are nicer than Unbridge... And I need to empty Titanpad

Prologue:  
  
Lily Potter smiled as she watched her son. He was building a tower out of his new blocks, they had a charm that allowed them to stack even if placed precariously so the toddler's lack of coordination wasn't hampering his fun.  
  
Hearing the door open she looked up, wand in hand, only putting it away as she saw her husband.  
  
A year of near isolation was wearing on the young couple and the stress was showing. Both were looking drawn and tight around the eyes, reaching for their wands all too readily and getting snappy with each other. They tried to have as full and rich a life as they could in their acre of land and roomy cottage - growing a comprehensive kitchen garden and learning various crafts.  
  
Of course Harry also took up a lot of their time.  
  
Today was Halloween and the autumn chill had well and truly set in. The fire was lit and the windows closed tight against the damp night air.  
  
James Potter sank onto the sofa with a sigh. He had virtually nothing to do. There was only so many times he could walk the wards and at this time of year the gardens were almost dormant.  
  
He had checked the various stashes of emergency portkeys around the house and garden, the spare wands and the spell craft traps in place. All were there and working perfectly. There were also a variety of brooms hidden in various corners. His only worry was that his invisibility cloak seemed to be missing.  
  
In fact the missing cloak had been the basis for a vicious row between him and Lily just the other day, both accusing the other of having hidden it somewhere 'handy' then forgetting about it. Things were still cool between them as both were proud and stubborn, though they were starting to question each other about their few visitors... could one of them have taken it? Was one of them not to be trusted?  
  
Lily had taken to brewing a variety of potions, so far they had a healthy stock of healing and battle potions and she was now bottling a precious set of bottles of Felix Felixis while James fed Harry his supper. From the sound of it there was more food flying around the kitchen than going into the toddler's mouth. He had just started feeding himself and it was very hit and miss.  
  
She was just taking the case of the priceless Luck potion through the living room where James and Harry were getting cleaned up when they felt the wards ping, warning of someone arriving.  
  
James walked to the window to check who was coming up the cottage path, blanching at the sight that greeted him.  
  
"Lily! Take Harry, Run... It's _Him!_ I'll set the traps and follow." James spoke low but urgently.  
  
Lily didn't wait, she set the box down, grabbing a vial and her baby and running for the back door.  As she moved they could feel the snap and crackle of magic as anti-apperition and anti-portkey wards went up too.  
  
Cursing, she turned, the doors had been warded closed and she could see a veritable army of dark cloaks out there. Voldemort had not come alone.  
  
"James, they have closed off the doors, I'm going for the backup escape"  
  
She ran up the stairs, feeding Harry a few drops of the precious golden potion in her hand as she moved. Once she reached the bedroom she would be able to take the broom there and fly beyond the wards before portkeying to a second hiding place.  
  
Distantly she heard spellfire start behind her, adrenalin had her blood pounding so hard the sounds were muffled but she recognised her husband's voice, defiant and firm.  
  
James gripped his wand, stance determined. He had swallowed a vial from Lily's case himself and felt prepared. However as Voldemort burst through his front door accompanied by at least five of his Death Eaters he knew that all the luck in the world may not get him out of this.  
  
"Get out of my house. You will _never_ get my son, you sadistic son of a bitch" James snarled at the imposing figure before him.  
  
Panicking, Lily fed Harry the rest of the vial, desperate to give her precious babe what protection she could. Cursing she realised that she hadn't grabbed a second for herself.  
  
Voices continued to carry up the stairs.  
  
"Stand aside, I will not spill more pure blood that I have to, this child can be replaced... surely you haven't had it long enough to be that attached?" The Dark Lord spoke, his tone cold and without inflection.  
  
James didn't bother to reply, he called out  activated the security measures and started to fight. The furniture and decorative items in the room, along with many of Harry's toys, animated and attacked the intruders. With that as a distraction James' attack had some success and he severely wounded three of the Death Eaters in seconds.  
  
He ducked, twisted and danced through the battle, even landing a cutting curse on Voldemort himself.  
  
Within a few moments all five Death Eaters were down but James was also on one knee, bleeding heavily from several ugly wounds.   
  
Sneering, Voldemort looked down on him, wand rising once more.  
  
"Pity" He murmured, firing the killing curse at the still defiant Potter Lord without further ado.  
  
Swiftly, the Dark Lord ascended the stairs, wary as he knew how fiercely a woman would defend her young.  
  
He came into the Nursery in time to see the frustrated mother finally manage to bludgeon through the wall with a bomarda. The wards blocking the doors had also sealed all the windows and she had been unable to escape through with the broom.  
  
Before she had chance to scoop the crying toddler into her arms Voldemort was in and warding the hole in the wall against her.  
  
"No!" Lily screamed, desperation dulling her vibrant green eyes "Not Harry, not my baby. Get away!"  
  
"Stand aside you silly woman. Too many magicals have died, I am here only for your son. Step aside and you may yet live"  
  
"Never, you would have to kill me before you harm even a hair on his head" Lily snarled as she aimed her wand.  
  
Her speed surprised even him and Voldemort was shocked to feel the slashing curse open his cheek.   
  
Their battle was short and violent, Lily threw a shield around Harry and his crib and wove a skillful but fast web of magical chaos. It had all the toys and knicknacks in the room swirling in a flexible shield. Even when items were hit by curses the shattered remains continued to spin and obscure her from him.  
  
However Voldemort was not considered one of the most powerful wizards alive for no reason and soon managed to vanish enough of the items that he had a reasonably clear shot.   
  
He didn't hesitate.  
  
"Avada KEDAVRA!" Green power exploded from his wand, Lily fell in front of the crib, green eyes dull as she stared up at her murderer, eyes accusing even in death.  
  
Voldemort sneered down at the toddler. This squalling infant was to be his downfall? Once more the deadly length of yew was aimed at a member of the Potter family.  
  
Little Harry never looked at the horrible man who had wrought so much terror in his life, reaching through the bars of the crib he only wanted one thing.  
  
"Mumma! MUMMA! P'eese Mummaaaaaa" He sobbed.  
  
Neither occupant of the room noticed as the bookcase next to the crib started to collapse. The few remaining items on it tumbling down.  
  
Just as the snake like wizard cast the killing curse for the third time an antique silver music box fell. As it tumbled it intercepted the deadly green magic, shattering and reflecting the killing curse back on the stunned castor.  
  
Due to the resonance of the dark magic and the silver - a symbol of purity - the returning curse was twisted and more powerful than before, banishing the Dark Lord. A piece of the broken music box cut a jagged wound into the sobbing toddler's forehead.  
  
Everything was suddenly still and quiet in the ravaged house - apart from Harry - his little body shaking from the shock of the magical battle around him, spell wash pouring over him as he screamed for his parents.   
  
Due to a remarkable amount of luck young Harry Potter was the only survivor of the attack that Halloween night.


	2. Arrest and Disbelief

"James!? Lily?! NO!"   
   
The lone figure stood in front of the spell damaged house, hair whipping about in the magical wind as his red Auror robes flapped around his legs. Wand out, he ran inside, dropping to his knees as he saw his best friend lying bloody and prone at the bottom of the stairs, eyes blank and staring. The bodies of several Death Eaters scattered around the room.  
   
"Oh gods, no, James" he whispered, voice breaking.  
   
Bounding up the stairs he headed straight for the nursery, dreading what he would find. There he found his best friend's wife laid in front of the crib, wand in her loose grip, her face almost peaceful in repose.   
   
"Lily! What happened here? What did that bastard do?  
   
Tattered black and silver robes with the emblem of Slytherin were draped across the crib but it was what was in the polished oak bed that caught his attention.  
   
His Godson, Harry, alive and almost well. He had a strange mark on his forehead though no blood and tears streaming down his chubby little cheeks.  
   
"Mamma? Mamma! Mamma wa'e up! Mamma wa'e up p'eese" the toddler called between sobs.  
   
Spotting the devastated man as he spoke the young child turned to him, green eyes swimming with further tears.  
   
"Unca Paddy! Up! Up! Mamma?" He was still crying, not understanding what had happened.  
   
"Harry, oh gods Harry, you're ok! What happened?" Sirius - aka 'Uncle Paddy' - asked.  
   
"Bad man, Mamma? G’een ligh' - Mamma down – g’een ligh' - lello ligh' - BANG - gone" Harry hiccupped, still crying as he buried his face in his Godfather's shoulder, why wouldn't Mamma wake up?  
   
Sirius could only thank the Gods that magical children seemed to grasp language early and he had managed to get this much out of his Godson, if nothing else it confirmed that it was the Killing Curse used, the only offensive spell with a green glow, and that Lily would not have suffered any pain - hopefully James too.  
   
"Let's get you out of here Baby, in case more bad men come" He murmured, waving his wand and gathering a bag of what he considered essentials from amongst the devistation that was left in his Godson's house, which was Harry's cuddly wolf, several packets of biscuits, a couple spare nappies, an entire box of fruit purees and three baby blankets. As a last thought he grabbed a baby sling and Lily's wand.  
   
With Harry securely strapped to his chest, the bag on his back with the wand in it and everything shielded and disillusioned for transport Sirius headed out, he was going to arrest that Rat bastard for betraying his family and take Harry to safety.  
   
 ~#~  
   
Several hours later he was sitting in a holding cell in the ministry and trying to shush the still invisible-and-silent-to-everyone-else Harry. The baby was screaming and Sirius could do nothing to sooth him.  
   
Between the shock of seeing his best friend - no - Soul Brother, and - well did that make Lily his 'Soul Sister-in-Law'? - dead, the apparent remains of the darkest wizard in recent memory, discovering one of his best friends from school had delivered said Brother and Sister-in-Law to their doom, not to mention almost killing his Godson and _then_ to top it all of the Rat had murdered several Muggles and disappeared just as his fellow Aurors had arrived, thus setting him up for those deaths.  
   
Well let's just say it had been a bad day and he had totally forgotten the bag of supplies also disillusioned on his back  
   
The guards had taken his wand and would now not listen to him; despite the fact he had been their friend and worked alongside them for three years.  
   
"Look, I am being serious! I need my wand! I can prove my innocence here! I have Harry! He's _fine!_ I disillusioned, shielded and muffled him for his safety when I went after Peter! It's _Peter_ you want! _He's_ the traitor! Give me my wand for thirty seconds and I can prove it!" Sirius begged.  
   
"No way Black, I don't know how you fooled us for so long but there's no way you're getting a weapon. It's Azkaban for you as soon as the transport arrives - maybe even the Kiss" His guard spat.  
   
Sirius could only sob in despair as Harry continued to scream and his former friends glared at him with such loathing.  
   
"Frank, please... _listen_... they failed to get Harry no matter what you think, no matter what you think of _me!_ Protect Alice, protect little Neville - get them to safety, even if Voldemort was destroyed his band of merry murderers are still out there and Harry wasn't the _only_ target. PROMISE me you'll save them!" Sirius sobbed out, rocking his precious bundle as the Azkaban contingent dragged him out.  
   
Auror Frank Longbottom felt a chill as he watched his ex-partner and a man he thought he knew get pulled from the building. Before he could doubt himself he sent a quick Patronus message to his wife and told her to take their own fifteen month babe and head for the Longbottom holiday home in Italy, even Dumbledore didn't know of the small cottage and vineyard, it was a family secret and unless you were a Longbottom by birth or marriage you could not see or find the place.  
   
Frank didn't want to believe Sirius but - something was off, his instincts were screaming and he was certain it wasn't just madness, that Sirius wasn't just imagining that precious - if invisible - figure. He would speak with Albus and the Head of the Law Enforcement Department and get the trial set for within the next day; surely as an Auror he would receive at least a fast trial.  
   
~#~  
   
Sirius was thrown into a cell in the high security wing of Azkaban with little care.  
   
Sometime during the journey Harry had fallen asleep due to the motion of the boat and Sirius was crooning tunelessly under his breath as the guards eyed him suspiciously.  
   
Their cell was typical of the high security sector, a bare small room magically built out of rune carved granite to improve security. They were at the end of a dead end corridor so the cell was actually slightly larger than normal and with no immediate neighbours as well as the dubious privilege of two windows - both only the size of two bricks and barred securely and with the thrilling view of the fortresses tiny courtyard.  
   
A thin straw pallet served as a bed and a rudimentary stone toilet provided the only other furnishings, the door to the corridor was thick, bound oak with a barred hatch and small serving slot.  
   
"Here, change into these and push your robes through the serving access" One burly guard grunted, thrusting some black and white prison robes at Sirius.  
   
This was when the bewildered Auror re-discovered the bag he had packed for Harry. He carefully placed both bag and sleeping infant on the straw bed and hurriedly changed, he had given up trying to convince the guards about Harry for now but once he removed the spells and he was taken to trial and the Wizengamot questioned him and saw the child... well it would soon be sorted wouldn't it? For now all he had to do was stay safe and out of trouble to protect Harry until the trial.

 


	3. Losing Hope and Making Friends

It was their third day in Azkaban and Sirius was beginning to lose his optimism.  
   
He had found the invisible form of Lily's wand when feeling his way through the disillusioned bag and quickly revealed everything.  
   
Harry's puréed fruit and biscuits were nearly gone and there had been no sign of anyone since his arrival. Not a single guard had been down this corridor and so far no Dementors had ventured this far either.  
   
He thanked Demeter for the fact he had picked up the willow and unicorn hair wand when grabbing things for his Godson - and that he had collected supplies at all.  
   
Despite the magic dampening fields around the prison the cells themselves had little shielding, after all no-one in them had a wand... well normally. The reduced shielding allowed the prison medi-wizard to treat prisoners without moving them and had given Sirius a great advantage.  
   
He had transfigured some straw and the copious amounts of dust and sludge into a basic basket to serve as a crib, the nappies were thankfully the old style terry cloth ones and were easily cleaned with a couple of scourgifies. He dreaded to think what he would have had to do if he hadn't brought a wand.  
   
Warming charms and light orbs kept the cell comfortable and Harry somewhat happy, however there was one thing that Sirius couldn't provide, well two really.  
   
"Mamma? MAMMA?! Daddy? DADDY! MAMMA!" the small boy was screaming as he woke from a nap.  
   
"Ssh Baby" Sirius tried to sooth the distressed child "Hush Harry, it's going to be okay, I promise. Mamma and Daddy can't come I'm sorry, so, so sorry Baby"  
   
He was almost in tears himself; the pain in the young child's cries was heart breaking.  
   
"Why?" Harry sniffed, tears magnifying his emerald gaze.  
   
"Sssh Harry, Mamma and Daddy would be so proud of you, so proud and so happy that you are alive and... well... sort of safe. They are in heaven now but if they could come back then they would. As it is they will be watching over you and doing everything they can to keep you safe" Sirius cuddled his godson tenderly "Hey, let's play with Moony for a bit, yeah?"  
   
Nodding and wiping his eyes Harry soon became distracted by a boisterous game with his Godfather and the stuffed toy wolf that was in the bag. They were soon having grand adventures hunting for the evil troll 'Pete' and rescuing the princess.  
   
~#~  
   
Sirius was coming to believe there was something severely wrong; he hadn't seen a single living soul other than Harry in over a week now.  
   
There had been two meals appear each day - well if you could call the tasteless gruel with suspicious lumps in it and dry bread a 'meal' - Sirius had managed a basic sweetening charm to make it more appetising and to persuade Harry to eat some as he was now out of the food he had brought from the Potter home.  
   
The door had proven impervious to all bludgeoning and unlocking spells he had tried, the runes on the walls and door prevented them from being affected by any forms of magic and put a fairly heavy general and spell specific set of suppression wards over the small space. It had become apparent that the only spells he could manage were basic transfigurations, healing and some charm work but all were greatly limited and he could perform absolutely no protective, defensive or offensive spells. All they produced were sparkles and a shock to his wand arm.  
   
A wave of despair and an icy chill began to creep over the cell and Harry woke in the crib. Clutching his Moony-plushy he began to wail weakly. He was already becoming quiet and listless on the poor food and this soul sapping terror was almost enough to kill the small boy.  
   
Desperately Sirius started casting warming and cheering charms on his godson and the room, he wasn't so much bothered about himself but he needed to protect his young charge.  
   
The lights in the corridor seemed to fade into an all-consuming darkness and the figure that Sirius had most been dreading drifted into sight.  
   
Ragged black and grey cloak fluttered in a private storm as the decaying, skeletal figure approached, the face hidden in the deep cowl. It was said that the only people to see the face of the Dementors were those about to experience their soul sucking kiss and none of those survived to describe them or the experience.  
   
The empty hood stared into the cell for several minutes, after a while the seeping cold and terrifying fog of soul sapping emotion simply faded to leave the usual creepy atmosphere of the drab prison, Sirius was holding Harry by this point and was almost compelled to approach the bars in the door.  
   
As he stood at the bars a skeletal hand reached in to the cell, not attempting to touch either him or Harry, but in an almost beseeching manner.   
   
Sirius was too shocked to react when Harry reached out and grasped one of the grotesque digits, chuckling when the creature wriggled the trapped appendage delicately in his grip. The total lack of fear shown by the child was charming as even without the projection of despair and terror the Dementor looked like a walking - drifting? - nightmare.   
   
With a whisper of sound the dark figure gently removed its hand and retreated back down the corridor, the lights once again flaring into life as the creature left.  
   
Sirius was startled to see that when the evening meal came there was an extra portion of gruel and a small, somewhat brown, banana. It was the first time they had seen fruit of any kind and despite the fact it was not the freshest example he was intensely grateful - mashing it with some water he gave it to Harry as dessert after his sweetened gruel.  
   
After that with every meal there was extra gruel, some form of slightly bruised fruit and the occasional wooden cup of fresh milk or piece of slightly dry cheese. Sirius was thankful and made sure Harry gained every scrap of available nutrition and soon the child was once again looking reasonably healthy.  
   
There was a stream of water that trickled down the wall into a grate in the floor near the toilet to provide water so they never went thirsty, Sirius had placed a permanent filtration charm on it their first day there so it was always cool and clear so he was able to keep them both clean and charms kept their clothes reasonably neat and tidy.  
   
Before they knew it another two weeks had passed - Sirius was keeping careful track with marks on the wall - and the lights in the corridor went out once again.  
   
Unlike the previous time there was no sense of impending doom or fear, no unnatural chill or soul sapping dread. Harry was toddling towards the door eager to see anyone other than his godfather as the poor child was getting very frustrated with never getting to leave the single, reasonably small, room.  
   
Every night and day Sirius found himself praying to Demeter and Brighid for the strength and skill to control and raise a young boy in such challenging conditions.  
   
Once again the hooded figure was at the door, however this time it - he? - was accompanied by another, this one had a less ragged cloak that was edged in silver and bronze runes and what appeared to be some form of Cyrillic letters - maybe Greek?  
   
"Come" The figure spoke, the voice more of a rasp and whisper, like a dry wind through dried and brittle reeds - the command and power was still clear though.  
   
"Come Seirios, childe of Orion, Hunter of the Summer Skies... Let me see you, let me feel" The Dementor in the decorated robes beckoned.  
   
Sirius obeyed, wondering at the strange accent, ancient and mysterious. He had never considered that the Dementors were an intelligent species but how else could he explain the extra rations? The vital - if limited - nutrients for his young charge. He owed them his gratitude and was willing to listen. His impetuous nature and temper had already cost them everything - now he had to cooperate and try to improve their conditions in every way he could.  
   
The creature removed its hood as Sirius reached the door; the face revealed was almost alien in appearance but still clearly humanoid. Large luminous eyes that were black but with swirling clouds of sliver were almost hypnotic, tight leathery flesh highlighted sharp, high cheek bones, a small slitted nose and a large, serpentine mouth and a small pointed jaw.  
   
Harry babbled in Sirius' arms as the wave of dark, cold magic washed over them. Sirius closed his eyes as he felt a tug in his mind - thoughts, memories and emotions were brought to the surface in a dizzying whirl before he was released suddenly.  
   
"You have been Judged" the raspy voice came again, Sirius could see than the Dementor's skeletal face barely moved as it spoke, "You have been found innocent in intent... for the most part... though not always in action. Your Heart is pure and your Soul may... be redeemed."  
   
As the Dementor with the silver and bronze runes floated away Sirius realised a new one had joined the group. He was astounded by the fact that he could be in the presence of three of the creatures and not be overwhelmed by fear or freezing temperatures. It would appear they hadn't been told very much about the Dementors at all during Auror training.  
   
The newest one had silvery grey robes that were less ragged than the others and covered in darker steel grey swirls. Gold runes glowed softly along the cuffs, hems and around the hood and the figure looked slightly more fleshed than the other silent sentinels. It then approached the door in much the same way as the previous one and also pulled down its hood, reaching through the bars and allowing Harry to grasp the bony fingers.  
   
"Seirios... Star Childe... you bring us the One Foretold..." the new Dementor spoke, the voice a little more robust but the accent stronger "Our Seers told of the Forgotten Childe, guided by the Faithful Star. He shall save us, set us free, for this we shall help you. I am Akakios, Lord of this enclave. Where it is in my power I will aid you or my followers shall. We control food rations and warmth so will keep you well, only the Human keepers control the doors so I cannot free you. Have you queries?"  
   
Sirius blinked and tried to organise his thoughts.  
   
"I... Who are... what are you? I mean... how can you do that? And can we have anything other than gruel?" Sirius was still in shock and somewhat overwhelmed from having his mind screened.  
   
"Seirios, I must apologise, we can only transport the food from the storage rooms. To our shame I ordered my doúlos to steal from the Human Wizards to give the Forgotten Childe what he needs to grow. If there is more they will bring it to you. They steal from their waste stores but only the safe items, the milk is from the fresh stores but small so not noticed. I promise the Forgotten Childe will have what he needs." Akakios bowed his head slightly "As to us, you Wizards" he spat out the term "Call us 'Dementors'... but we are Kharon, the Soul Carriers"  
   
Akakios pulled himself up in pride as he continued.  
   
"It will take us much time to teach you our history Seirios but for now I say this. We were stolen many hundreds of your years ago, stolen from our people and held here against our will. Our realm is the home of Souls, where they are born and where they go when their host dies. The Kharonai collect the Souls of the recently dead and return them to our home, Erakh'bos, there they are cleansed of their past life and allowed to rest before being reborn in your realm. Here where we are held prisoner, we are forced to use our gifts in monstrous ways. Slavery runes make us take the Souls of the living - the evil and depraved but also the innocent, betrayed and distraught. We cannot take them to Erakh'bos and carry their pain, their anger; their suffering... it is trapped in us and escapes in a freezing fog of death and despair. It is the only way to ease our own pain, to bleed it out, though we can hold it back to protect those we care for... like you Star Childe, the Forgotten one too."   
   
Sirius was stunned. The fact that the Dementors were not a soulless creation of magic went against everything they had been taught.  
   
"We must go for now Seirios, if you need assistance just call for Kyriakos - he is my doúlos and will come to you."  
   
The skeletal figures seemed to almost fade away as they merged with the gloom of the prison halls.  
 

Sirius sagged against his musty mattress, clutching his young godson. Emotionally, he was drained, why had no-one come for him? Where was his trial? And since when were Dementors sentient?

 

Humming a lullaby, to sooth himself as much as Harry, he drifted... Maybe tomorrow would bring hope.

 


	4. Time passes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We start skipping a few years at a time

It was now the summer of 1986, it would soon be little Harry's sixth birthday and they were still in the same cell.  
   
Sirius was certain he would have gone insane years ago if it hadn't been for the little boy that made up his world. He hadn't seen anyone except the Kharonai and Harry in the almost five years he had been here.  
   
The cell had changed substantially since they had first taken residence, for starters Akakios had managed to make the wards realise on Harry's third birthday that there were two occupants in the cell and the semi-sentient building had removed the walls between that cell and the next, some further coaxing had added another room via a door into a third adjoining cell.  
   
Limitations on the castle that had become Azkaban and on the Kharonai themselves meant that they could not open the cell doors or remove a wall into a corridor but they had managed to give Sirius and Harry a small apartment. They had also managed to steal materials or even full blown items from around the prison to furnish their small home.  
   
Back in the 1800's the Ministry had kept Azkaban as a reform prison; the 'Dementors' as they knew them were only used to guard the worst of the worst. The rest of the prisoners had jobs, would eat in a central area, tend the vegetable garden in the courtyard and had access to a large library. They were worked hard - thankless jobs like unpicking rope or spinning wool and so on without access to their magic was considered fairly brutal by wizarding standards - but they also had the chance to better themselves and become a productive member of society when released.  
   
After the prison had changed in Grindlewald's era - funding and manpower being diverted to the war and the 'Dementors' being used to guard all of the prisoners - the resources had been forgotten.  
   
House Elves now tended the vegetable plots and the few animals that lived on the island - cows and chickens to provide dairy and a few goats for meat. The island fortress was structured so that in the harsh North Sea winters and terrible summer storms they could self-sustain for weeks at a time.  
   
Akakios and Kyriakos especially had become closely bonded with the prison and the elves that served it and as such they were now getting proper meals to Harry and Sirius at least once a day with almost unlimited milk and fresh vegetables. Previously much of the produce had gone to waste and the elves were more than thankful to supply it.  
  
The elves also slipped letters that Sirius wrote on parchment stolen from the guard into their own outgoing mail. He wrote frantic pleas for help to Dumbledore, his barrister and even the Daily Prophet but still no-one came.  
  
It would be years before he found out that people had either dismissed the letters as hoaxes, ignored them or in a few cases that someone with power actively quashed an investigation as his innocence would be inconvenient for their schemes.  
   
Although the elves were forbidden from entering the cells they would access areas of the former castle that the Kharonai could not enter and bring things for them, as a result the 'apartment' in the forgotten corridor was quite nicely furnished.  
   
There were two comfortable beds from the long forgotten 'visitor's quarters', a desk with chair, a small sofa, some cosy rugs and even a potbelly stove. The separate room was fitted with a proper toilet and the best of luxuries - a bath.  
   
Transfigured odds and ends became toys for Harry and books were brought from the library - though obviously there were no children's stories to be found in the dusty stacks. Sirius was forced to make up adventures starring the various toys he had managed to provide - the heroic plushy of 'Moony', a dashing black dog called 'Paddy' and the 'king' of all the toys - a soft stag called 'Prongs'.   
   
Most of the adventures involved rescuing a plush doe he christened 'Petal' from an ugly, tatty wooden rat. Occasionally the games included a raven called Beaky.  
   
Harry was a quiet little boy and quite solemn, he enjoyed the games he played with his 'Papa Siri' very much but was equally content to draw or stand on a chair and look out to the tiny patch of sky he could see.  
   
He was slender thanks to the limited amount of food and pale due to the lack of direct sun, both these factors combined to make his green eyes stand out as large and vibrant. His dark hair fell in a loose tumble around his face as Sirius was rarely willing to go through the hassle of cutting it - it was one of the few things that Harry hated sitting still for.  
   
The Kharonai had also discovered that they could enter and exit the cells by phasing slightly out of the Mortal realm. They couldn't fully leave due to their slave bindings but could manage just enough to slip through the solid doors.  
  
   
With this newfound ability Akakios had assigned two of his youngest subjects to be Harry's nannies and teach both him and Sirius the ways and history of the Kharonai. Sotiria and Glykeria were both delighted to have such a pleasant task and dedicated in their teachings.  
   
Soon Harry was as fluent in Ancient Greek as he was in English and making good inroads into learning French - a language that Sirius was fluent in as it was considered necessary for all Purebloods to learn both French and Latin before Hogwarts.  
   
Despite his young age Harry was learning the English, Ancient Greek and Runic alphabets and the early start to Latin now that his spoken Ancient Greek was fluent.  
   
With no distractions available beyond his few toys and books the small boy was absorbing knowledge at a fast rate. A task made easier by the fact that much of it was not in 'lesson' form.   
   
He would play board games with Sotiria in Ancient Greek, learn nursery rhymes or hand games with Sirius in French and fairy tales or historical sagas from Glykeria in Latin. Histories were acted out with various Kharonai coming to join in the games and Harry generally playing a prince or mighty hero.  
   
Illustrations in books on herbology, animals and geography gave inspiration for drawings, stories and imagined adventures which allowed Sirius to keep his young charge relatively active and entertained but there were still times that the small boy became frustrated with the restrictions. Despite the fact that the two small rooms were all that he could remember he was feeling shut in and fed up.  
   
"Papa, I want to go _out_ " Harry whined, standing on a chair and craning to look out of the small window.  
   
"Oh Pup" Sirius scrubbed a hand over his face wearily "We can't, I'm sorry. Come on over here and show me your letters again, yeah? Then we can play a game"  
   
"No Papa! I want to go out! Outside! Like the House Elves do! I want to play outside!" Harry's lower lip began to tremble even as he set his jaw stubbornly.  
   
"There is no way out Harry, we can't go out. We are not House Elves and we have to stay here. Now, come and do your letters or you can just have a nap instead young man" Sirius was feeling stressed and worn out.  
   
With no breaks and no chance to properly get out and exercise the years of captivity were truly wearing but he tried to keep as even tempered and optimistic as he could. His one hope was that someone would eventually come into this corridor and discover them and he would have his chance. If nothing else he could get Harry out of here.  
   
"Papa?" Harry's small voice interrupted his thoughts. "I'm sorry, I can be good. Can I play with Paddy?"  
   
Sirius hugged his godson and ruffled his hair.  
   
"It's okay Scamp, I know it's hard. Of course you can... it will be good for both of us."  
   
Time in his Animagus form helped Sirius get the exercise he so desperately needed and was beneficial for both him and Harry.  
   
And so the years passed with much laughter as well as the occasional tantrum or tears from the young boy down the forgotten corridor.


	5. Magical Pursuits

"Harry! Just wait a minute!" Sirius was getting more frustrated with his young charge.  
   
"But Papa! You've been working on it for _hours!_ And Glykeria will be here _any minute!_ " Harry stamped his foot impatiently.  
   
"Well if you want to try... you can. Maybe you can do better, it was your mum's wand after all" Sirius offered it to the seven year old that was pouting in front of him. "Now, close your eyes and imagine what you want it to look like exactly - right down to the last detail - and say the spell. Enunciate it clearly and carefully mind"  
   
"Okay Papa" Harry grinned, it wasn't often that his Papa allowed him to try any practical spell work.  
   
Closing his eyes he imagined his favourite picture from the book 'Enchanted Explorations: The Journeys of Master Glaucus Mauritius' and lifted the wand. Carefully executing the twirls and wave required he chanted the words, weaving the magic delicately.  
   
"Facite sistere visione aliqua. Et lux est forma et vis dare. Uerum esse visum, et parere."  
   
Sirius gasped, as Harry repeated his chant and wand movements and the illusion took form. All around them plants shimmered into existence as Harry's magic swirled around the room.  
   
Due to the suppression wards the illusion remained translucent and when Sirius tried to touch a flower his hand went straight through causing a glimmering splash as the magical construct repaired itself.  
   
Harry finally opened his eyes and grinned widely. He hadn’t expected the spell to work so well but it seemed he was well attuned with his mother's wand and the fact he had been using controlled magic from a very young age he was able to get surprisingly good results.  
   
He ran among the diaphanous plants, giggling as a ghostly butterfly emerged from the flowers, arms out he tried to chase it but was soon distracted again. The picture he had chosen to envisage had a doe and stag picking their way through the forest and his Papa had always said that they reminded him of Harry's Mum and Dad.  
   
With no way to see true images of his parents - Sirius was a truly dismal artist - Harry had taken to using the image as a symbol of his birth parents, along with the cuddly toys that Sirius had transfigured for him.  
   
Though he could not truly remember James and Lily Potter, Sirius had kept them alive in Harry's heart, telling and retelling stories from his childhood and into young adult life. He made sure that Harry knew that he was loved deeply and truly by his parents and their loss was due to only two people. Peter Pettigrew and Lord Voldemort were to carry the blame and never Harry.  
   
Sirius loved his godson to distraction and could only hope that Glykeria had been successful.  
   
Almost as if his thoughts had summoned her she appeared.  
   
"Seirios, this is most delightful! How kind of you to make this for young Harry Childe. You are good father, kind father" the Kharonai nanny said.  
   
Sirius hadn't realised until his time here just how varied and individual the Kharonai were. Glykeria was young as far as the Kharonai in Azkaban were concerned, she was only four hundred years old, in their terms barely leaving puberty.  
   
"Actually Glykeria, Harry made this construct. I wasn't able to create anything today... there's only been enough food for Harry due to the storms and the lack of fresh food. I am a little too tired to persuade Lily's wand to work with me." Sirius beamed proudly as Harry turned and waved through the diaphanous leaves.  
   
He was sorry that constructs like this were the closest thing Harry had ever experienced to the outside world. The low ceiling and close walls were still very obvious despite the lush plant life, every time the translucent stag raised his head his antlers partially disappeared into the ceiling.  
  
He sat back against the wall, though normally they ate quite well considering, the last few days food had been scarce due to the fierce summer storm.  
  
The disappointment of yet another attempt to reach help failing had further sapped his strength and spirit. As each year ticked by, hope grew weaker.  
  
Harry had been starting to realise now, at seven years old, how much Sirius would go without to provide for him and would push food back at him when he tried to give it all to his young charge.  
  
He blinked, surprised, as Glykeria left Harry again and came back to him. She waved her skeletal arms in a complex pattern that he recognised as her accessing the limited resources available to the Kharonai.  
  
A rough earthenware bowl appeared full of creamy porridge, and miracles of miracles the House Elf she had communed with had even managed to find some sirup to sweeten the rich oatmeal. He still got a sense of perverse pleasure knowing that he was literally taking food from the guards mouths.  
  
Harry seemed to sense that his carers needed peace for the moment and he retreated to his 'library' in the corner. The squashy cushion with stacks of books filched from the mouldering prison library was one of his favourite places to hunker down and get lost in a different world.  
  
Without his energy and concentration the construct filling the room faded away, once more the stark grey cell was obvious. Harry looked up and saw Sirius and Glykeria were both still in deep conversation and paying him no attention.  
  
Pulling out a well worn book from the pile he started to read, "Berghold's Complete Compendium of Magical Creatures" was dry reading but had excellent illustrations and according to Sirius covered far more than any of the newer books he had seen.   
  
Harry longed to see something, anything, outside their small apartment. Even the corridor just the other side of the door seemed an exotic new world... and the stories of the courtyard and bleak, windswept island from the Kharonai seemed as fantastical as the fairytales his dad told him.  
  
Sometimes, when the wind was right on a warm spring day, they could smell the sweet blossom of the fruit trees in the courtyard. Stormy days brought the salty tang of the sea. The rest of the time there was just the vague citrus scent of Sirius' cleaning spells and the pervading damp and mildew of the prison.

Harry sighed, maybe next year he could find a way to go outside.

Sirius sighed as he saw Harry retreat into himself.

A strange phenomenon had been causing a lot of confusion in the small world, ever since the Kharonai had been able to access their cell.

Glykeria had never heard of the situation, but then, she had been born here and had always been a slave. They had spoken to Kyriakos and he had taught them about this rare occurrence.

 

"Seirios, the thing you speak of was once most rare, it is The Gift or to be Touched" the Kharonai second in command rasped "When a human touches or is touched by a member of the Kharonai then they may receive a Gift, new skills or magics. 

Normally it is most rare for a human to touch our kind and none so much as you and the Chosen One. I do not know what this will do to his magics, if he shall have strong Gifts or many Gifts or if they shall be overwhelmed.

He has been exposed to our touch since was small, an infant, this has never been so.

As he grows we shall help guide and if needed we can reduce, mute, the powers we awoke."

 

Sirius groaned, rubbing his hands over his face. Why did this have to happen to them?

He carefully examined his own magic, due to the strains of being imprisoned he kept his occlumency shields up high. He found that he had several new senses on the edge of awareness, none of which made sense.

 

Both he and Harry would need to train with their Kharonai friends to try control these  _gifts._

 

And now to explain to his lonely child that he had to limit his physical contact with his friends.

 

Perhaps he could transfigure some gloves?


	6. A Birthday

Sirius smiled sadly, today was his son's eighth birthday and they were still in the dim cell. Harry was still the bright, sweet child that he had always been and there was nothing Sirius wouldn't do for him if it was in his power.  
  
They were currently preparing for Harry's party. Sirius was transfiguring their monthly allowance of straw into streamers, ribbons and reflectors. The silvery discs caught the limited sunlight and reflected it into a glittering array of dancing sunbeams.  
  
Akakios had promised a new visitor today. Harry's joy and love had strengthened the Kharonai Lord over the years and he had managed to claim dominion over the Castle of Azkaban. With this claim he had been able to stretch and twist the limits of his slave bonds to an entirely new degree for the first time in hundreds of years.  
  
One thing Akakios bitterly regretted was his inability to free his friends, or at least allow them out into the relative freedom of the castle grounds. However with his new, though limited, powers over Azkaban's wards he was able to once again communicate with his people.  
  
Though those enslaved to Azkaban could still not leave the island's shores without direct orders from their cruel masters, they could once again send and receive messages. For the first time in near a millennium they could talk to families who had thought they were lost or dead. The lift in moral had Akakios weak in relief and gratitude, once again his enclave was growing vibrant and strong.  
  
The house elves had once more been busy, squirreling things away and hiding small things from the human guards of the prison. Over the last few years the guards had become convinced that the prison was haunted by a poltergeist, the vengeful spirit of one of the prisoners who died there. It never occurred to them to demand answers from the Dementors or House Elves. The high turnover of guards also meant that no one experienced too many of the strange occurrences to notice the pattern.  
  
Slinky, the Head Elf, had been in Azkaban since it was first a prison. He remembered the days where a wealthy 'prisoner' had a suite of comfortable rooms and his own servants as well as regular visits from friends and family. Poor prisoners used to be put to work without magic, pulling rope apart into fibres or tanning animal skins.  
  
As Head Elf Slinky had quite a lot of freedom within the castle walls. The humans had totally forgotten the fact that this had once been a fine, well stationed castle. They had even forgotten the days when the prison was humane. The Kharonai had been enslaved by then but only patrolled the deepest dungeons where the most depraved prisoners were kept, for hundreds of years they were the guards of the utterly damned only.  
  
It had only been the last hundred years or so, that things had changed so drastically. Changes that were supposed to be temporary became perminant during Grindelwald's rise to power and forgotten in the tumultuous years after. It seemed that ever since his rise, Magical Britain was just bouncing from one crisis to another.  
  
The elderly Elf sighed and wiped his hands on his worn tunic. Master Sirius and Master Harry had brought life back to his castle. They had spoken through the door and passed messages through their Kharonai friends but it wasn't the same. He wanted to properly serve his Masters and make their stay in the castle better.  
  
The House Elves had carefully catalogued, preserved and packed the contents of the castle as it fell from its previous splendour to become the place of Nightmares it now was. With the help of the Kharonai they had been able to gift many of these treasures to the only guests now in the great, gloomy near ruin.  
  
The Garden Elves were ecstatic to once again be working the land it had been sorely neglected for decades with the drop in care and welfare of the prison's inhabitants. The elves themselves had been sickly through lack of work.  
  
With Master Sirius and the Kharonai Lord's help they had also identified many more unfortunate innocents incarcerated within Azkaban's dismal walls. Those prisoners were now also the incredibly grateful recipients of the elves hard work and enjoying much better food, warmer blankets and no torment from the Kharonai guards.  
  
Unfortunately they were in areas that were patrolled by human guards to so the elves and Kharonai  
were unable to provide further comfort.  
  
Sirius had, early in their incarceration, considered trying to get the prison's guards to help. They could at least get Harry out, maybe even get him a trial.  
  
However reports from the Kharonai and house elves had proven that the guards were beyond corrupt. In fact it was only the magic from his Kharonai friends that had prevented them from causing Sirius' death through a tragic 'accident' a few days after he arrived and over the years they had avoided his corridor for so long they had essentially forgotten it entirely... Assuming he had died from neglect.

 

But now Sirius had discovered a marvelous piece of information.

 

Only convicted felons were barred from receiving mail by the wards, as he and Harry had never been formally convicted of any crime, if a letter was sent it would reach him.

 

That meant in just three years Harry's Hogwarts letter would come, they could get word out that way.

 

Thanks to the newspapers the guards read Sirius knew that Harry's disappearance was a world wide mystery. He was hailed as The Boy Who Lived, the Defeater of Voldemort... 

 

It was assumed that Sirius had kidnapped Harry and secreted him away somewhere as the Goblins hadn't declared the Potter Line as dead or passed on the inheritance to a distant relative, so Harry was known to be alive and the magical world was going crazy looking for him...

 

But no-one came to question Sirius, though the papers pointed fingers regularly.

 

He laughed, sourly. If only they'd ask. He'd do anything to get Harry out of here, his own freedom was a far distant second at this point.

 

But three years, they could hold on for three more years. He had to stay strong.

 

For Harry.


	7. Birthday Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tissue warning

_Forgotten_ _Cell_ _3972F, High Security Wing Azkaban, July 31st 1988_

 

Akakios entered the Forgotten Cell that was home to Sirius and Harry.

 

Sirius shook off his melancholy thoughts and focused, today was about Harry. It was his eighth birthday and officially when he was Welcomed into Magic.

 

If they hadn't been here there would have been a ceremony with all their family and friends to reaffirm Sirius' place as Harry's Sworn Godfather and for other family to place their blessings upon the young man.

 

Sirius had explained the typical celebration and why eight held a special significance to Akakios and had been stunned when the ancient Kharonai had told him to prepare a traditional party.

 

As such Harry was dressed in a fine, if very outdated, velvet tunic that the Elves had dug out from somewhere in the ancient suites and was looking as presentable as possible. Sirius himself was in a black tunic with hose that he suspected was an ancient guard's uniform.

 

“Seirios, greetings on this day” Akakios rasped, his tone as cheerful as the Kharonai ever achieved “As promised I have brought guests for this auspicious day to celebrate Harry's birth.”

 

With that several more Kharonai entered the cell, including two that Sirius had never seen before.

 

Their robes were not tattered and did not bear the enslavement runes that bound his friends.

 

“I...uh… Welcome. I hope you enjoy the festivities, such as they are.” he greeted everyone.

 

“Seirios, thanks to your love, the love of your childe, I have the strength to call my kin. This I have told you. Now my kin have answered and they come. Please meet my sister Euthalia and her mate Kleitos. We have not spoken with or seen one other in many centuries, this is a gift I am most grateful to receive

 

They have been to our home realm, to Erakh'bos, where souls rest and heal. Here we have two lands. One you know as Elysium, the land of joy and rest, and the other is Tartarus or the land of punishment and suffering.

 

As Soul Bearers we may carry souls to, and from, Erakh'bos. Here, they would be a Spirit, a ghost. But they may come if we allow.” Akakios nodded as Sirius gasped.

 

Euthalia drifted forward and lowered her silken hood. “Seirios, I am grateful to you for the return of my brother. For the celebration of your childe's birth we have brought the gift of time.

 

A soul may only leave Erakh'bos for one day, sunrise to sunrise, before the magic fades and the soul is harmed. These are not souls that were trapped as spirits, we cannot let them come to harm.

 

Do you understand?

 

It will be four solar cycles before they may try again, in this time they may be reborn or not. I cannot promise another visit. You must know this now”

 

Sirius nodded mutely, tears streaming down his face as he gathered up his son.

 

“Harry love? Did you listen to Akakios?” He crouched down Harry's height.

 

“Yes Dad” Harry chewed his lip and nodded solemnly “This is his sister who he’s not seen for the longest time and she brought a birthday present for me to say thank you”

 

“That's right, Miss Euthalia has brought some souls from Elysium, that's heaven, to visit. They can only stay for the rest of today because it takes a lot of magic, okay? They cannot come again for at least four years - even though I know they would want to and even though you will want to see them. You need to know that now, before you even see them, okay baby?” Sirius kissed his son's head as Harry nodded “Good lad. And you've learnt about Elysium in your lessons with Miss Glykeria - you know how a soul can sometimes get reborn, here on Earth? So even though you see them today, this might be the only time if they get reborn. So I want you to enjoy every minute and remember it all, okay?”

 

“Okay Daddy.” Harry sniffled, a little scared by the emotions his dad was displaying.

 

“We're ready.” Sirius nodded to the Kharonai.

 

Euthalia opened her robes and reached in, pulling out a shimmering gold pearl. Lifting it to her face she breathed gently other the surface and it blossomed out until the translucent form of a woman took shape.

 

Kleitos repeated the action and the spectral form of a bespectacled young man joined them.

 

Sirius let out a broken sob, reaching for his friends. He nearly fell backwards in shock as he realised that he could _touch_ them. Cool and feeling somehow solid yet not he could _feel_ them!

 

He pulled James into a hug.

 

“Oh! Oh Gods! James! Lily! I can't believe it!” He sobbed, his heart breaking.

 

Harry looked upon the figures before him. While he didn't recognise the faces there was a feeling he remembered from his dreams. Once again his heart was surrounded by that familial connection, that ethereal _hug_ he had been missing so long.

 

“M...mummy…?” He asked, tremulously.

 

Lily Potter crouched down and reached for her son. It broke her heart to see him like this. So big! So thin and pale but so obviously loved.

 

“My sweet baby boy, I've missed you so much!” She cried into his hair “I love you more than the Sun, the Moon and the Stars. No matter what happens in the future baby I need you to remember that, okay?”

 

James and Sirius joined them both laughing and crying over the situation.

 

“Oh Harry, look at you! As handsome as me and as smart as your mum!” James swept his son into an embrace “I hear you've been keeping your Daddy out of trouble in here?”

 

Sirius looked at his best friend in shock. James smirked back.

 

“Akakios sent word of what happened, we spent our anger already. We don't have enough time to spend it sad here.” James shook his head “Who knew it would take dying for me to grow up? Eh? I just want to squeeze a lifetime of love into one day. I can't do it but I want to try.

 

Pads, I'm glad he's got you. Yeah I wish you were anywhere but here, hell, I wish I had lived! But you are a damned fine father. Look at you! Look at him! You've kept him happy and healthy despite everything. I _couldn't_ want more for my baby than that love. It's worth more than all the gold in Gringotts.”

 

The family gathered together on Harry's bed, the young boy cheerfully pulling Akakios and his family into the group too.

 

He spent hours listening to stories of when he was a baby, of the Elysian Fields and showing his parents his drawings.

 

As he began to grow sleepy he sobbed, pulling his mother close.

 

“I can't sleep Mummy, you'll be gone! I know you can't stay but I don't want to sleep til you go!”

 

Lily drew him close and kissed his silky mop.

 

“Sweetheart, I'm always with you. I'm the songs in your heart, the twinkle in your eye, I'm the reason you ask why? I'm deep in your soul, from your head to your toe… if you ever need me, I'm just here - you know?” She placed her hand over his heart. “Now, before you go to sleep, it's time for some blessings.”

 

Everyone stood in a circle around Harry and Sirius as the grey eyed man gathered up his son.

 

James spoke, leading the ceremony.

 

“Do you, Sirius Orion Black, swear on your Magic, Life and Soul to protect, teach and raise your Godson and Son in Magic to the fullest and best of your abilities?”

 

“I so solemnly swear.” Sirius replied

 

“I, James Fleamont Potter, do accept you as the Godfather, Father and Protector of my Son.”

 

Lily stepped forward “Do you, Sirius Orion Black, promise to love him and teach him kindness and joy to the best of your abilities?”

 

“I promise.” Sirius offered her a small smile

 

“I, Lily Marie Potter, do accept you as the Godfather, Father and Protector of my Son.”

 

James stepped forward again.

 

“Who offers blessings today, as Hadrian James Potter enters Magic’s Circle as Heir Apparent to the House of Potter, Future Earl of Monmouth?”

 

“I, Akakios of Delphi, offer blessings on this auspicious day” the Ancient Kharonai leader drifted forward “I shape the gifts received from our touch, instead of chaos, know order… first shall be the Gift of the Allspeak.”

 

Akakios stroked skeletal fingers over Harry's cheek “May you know all the tongues of Earth's creatures, and learn those of Man with ease.”

 

Harry blinked up at him in shock.

 

Glykeria, his nanny, drifted forward.

 

“I, Glykeria of Delphi, offer this blessing. To calm the Gifts received from me. Instead of the chaos of All Sight, may it be the Gift of Touch only.”

 

Sirius sighed in relief. Physical contact with the Kharonai awakened _gifts_ within humans, be it Sight or seeing the future, empathy, speaking magical languages, telekinesis, shapeshifting and much more, due to their constant contact with the Kharonai the number and scope of the 'gifts’ had been overwhelming.

Harry no longer dreamed, he saw a million possible futures, so numerous that he couldn't tell what would happen. Dampening his _gifts_ would indeed be a blessing, the Kharonai had already realised the effect their touch was having on the young boy and corrected much of the issue but this was even better.

 

Sirius relied heavily on his own occlumency skills to control his own new abilities for dowsing and weather prediction.

 

One by one everyone blessed the sleepy boy, some offering luck and others happiness.

 

Finally Slinky popped up at the door.

 

“Slinky wishes to bless young Master Harry too.” He said, unable to pass through the door “If Ancient Ones can uses their magics to take things in the room, Slinky has stolen a present from the Guards!”

 

Slinky waved a magical camera in the cell window.

 

Sirius laughed with joy. Akakios managed to bring it in for them and Sirius showed Kleitos how to operate the clunky contraption. It was a self developing model, the magical version of a Polaroid camera, so in short order Harry had several photos of himself being cuddled by his parents, Sirius and with his Kharonai friends.

 

By this point he was beyond exhausted and was all but asleep in his mother's arms.

 

Sirius put his son into bed and watched, tears in his eyes as his best friends tucked their son in, perhaps for the last time.

 

Lily brushed Harry's hair back as she sang in a sweet alto, her own tears on the edge of her eyelashes as her voice trembled. James wrapped around both his wife and son.

 

 _“Over in Killarney,many years ago_  
_My mother sang a song to me_  
_in tones so sweet and low_  
_Just a simple little ditty_  
_in her good old Irish way_  
_And I'd give the world if she could sing_  
_that song to me this day_  
  
_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,_  
_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry!_  
_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,_  
_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby._  
  
_Oft in dreams I wander_  
_to that cot again._  
_I feel her arms a-hugging me_  
_As when she held me then._  
_And I hear her voice a-hummin'_  
_to me as in the days of yore,_  
_when she used to rock me fast asleep_ _  
_ outside the cabin door.”

 

As Harry gave in to sleep the sun peeked over the eastern horizon, a new dawn was here.

 

James and Lily faded back to golden pearls, gathered safely by Euthalia.

 

Sirius sobbed silently as the Kharonai left him with his son.

 

Knowing they were happy and safe was a blessing… but such a short time…

 

The summer breeze came through the window and he blinked, he swore he could still hear her!

 

 _“Oft in dreams I wander_  
_to that cot again._  
_I feel her arms a-hugging me_  
_As when she held me then._  
_And I hear her voice a-hummin'_  
_to me as in the days of yore,_  
_when she used to rock me fast asleep_ _  
_ outside the cabin door.

  
_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,_  
_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry!_  
_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,_ _  
_ Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby.”


	8. Another Lost Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emotional whiplash, sorry in advance

_Low Security Wing, Azkaban Prison, August 1st 1988_

 

Frank Longbottom shivered under the thin blanket he had been provided. It was the only movement he made these days.

 

The guards barely paid him any attention other than being continually amazed he was still alive. They had never seen the feeble man move or eat. Occasionally he spoke, fevered mutterings that made no sense to them, anguished sobs and cries on other nights.

 

What they never noticed was that here, in the low security wing of Azkaban Prison, the House Elves could enter the cells… and the skeletal figures of the Dementors were seldom seen anymore. Even when the wraith like forms came down this particular corridor they didn't spread their cold and dismal miasma as the occupants of these cells were all actually innocent. Victims of the political battles and infighting of the Wizengamot.

 

As the Guards once again left the floor and headed back for their warded and cosy quarters for the night the cells came to life.

 

Nipsy, head elf for this wing, popped in with eight of his team.

 

“Okays!” He called softly “I's has some soups for the poor innocent masters and misses, and more warm blankets now the mean master guardsies are gone!”

 

Swiftly the elves popped their steaming bowls of vegetable broth into each cell, helping the inmates eat where necessary.

 

Nipsy and his son Blinky helped Frank sit up while a third elf, Nipsy’s granddaughter Flippy, gently spooned the broth into the weak prisoner's mouth.

 

Frank, barely responsive, nevertheless managed to swallow the warm meal. He clumsily patted one of the elves and giggled gently.

 

“Good Neville, Daddy loves you Champ!” Frank grabbed the surprised form of Blinky and started sobbing brokenly.

 

Nipsy stroked the crying man's lank hair and used elven magic to help him fall asleep. Every day he wished he could heal and free the poor masters and misses. They were _bad_ witchies and wizards for putting innocent peoples here!

 

At least now Master Sirees and Master Harry were working with the Ancient Ones to try make the Castle strong again.

 

The Magic was stronger, cleaner than it had been since he was a little Elfling and the gardens were growing again. He could actually _look after_ the good masters and misses again!

 

Nipsy didn't know the name of Sad Master in cell 836b - he just knew that the Ancient Ones said he was Innocent. So he and his children looked after him, soothed him when he cried for his Neville and his Alice, the only names he still remembered.

 

They would keep Sad Master safe and warm until Master Sirees saved them all.

 

~#~

 

In his dreams Frank relived the years of torture and torment. Trapped within his own mind in a never ending cycle of madness and despair there was no respite from his memories or nightmares.

 

“No...nononono...no… he's innocent… why didn't he get a trial? Everyone gets a trial!” He moaned in his sleep, wrapping himself tighter in the blankets.

 

~#~

 

_Longbottom Manor, November 2nd, 1981_

 

“Alice, there's no time, please” Frank Longbottom, Auror First Class, Eighteenth Earl of Whickenham, spoke harshly to his wife. All the while flicking his wand and packing their belongings “You will take my mother and our son and go to the Vineyard. Ianthe Villa is the safest place for you! You already ignored my patronus! Please, I am begging you, I _need_ to know that the three of you are safe while all this is sorted out.

 

I'll join you there in a few days. If I don't… well, it's because of this war. Trust _no-one._ And I mean it Allie, I mean _no-one!!!_ If I don't join you, _don't come back._ At least not until Neville is old enough to claimed the Heir Ring at eleven. I'm putting up the War Wards, no-one can get in until I as Lord or Neville as Heir can drop them.

 

Please, stay in Italy, stay _safe_ and far away.

 

_Promise me!!”_

 

Frank gripped his wife's arms tight enough to bruise, his mouth a tight line and eyes wide with fear.

 

Alice nodded, white with anxiety but composed.

 

“Of...of course dear. I'm sorry, I...I hadn't realised just how dire the situation was. We shall leave at once.

 

Do...do be careful Frank. Neville needs his father and I need my husband. I love you, be safe!”

 

Picking up her son and the shrunken luggage she kissed Frank soundly, ignoring the scandalised gasp from her mother-in-law.

 

Taking the Dowager Lady's arm, Alice activated the portkey and swirled away with one last loving look to her husband.

 

Frank sagged in relief. He could relax now, knowing his family was safe. He couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't sent them away sooner.

 

He locked down the Manor. War Wards flared to life, only Longbottom Blood could pass, not even his wife or mother could now enter the grounds until they were lifted.

 

Flooing into the Ministry he set to work. There was something wrong here, if Sirius was working for Voldemort - how had he passed the mandatory screenings that old Moody had put his Aurors through each month? That paranoid old bastard had checked everyone's arms and wasn't past spiking his officer's drinks or food with veritaserum at random to interrogate them while looking for spies.

 

There was something rotten at play. Where was Harry? As Harry's sworn Godfather there was no way Sirius should be able to harm that babe. Even if he could have betrayed the adult Potters somehow, Harry should be safe.

 

Frank reached his desk and wrote down everything. He needed to get Moody on his side as Crouch seemed perfectly happy to just abandon his Auror to the depths of hell. And just what was going on with their fellow Aurors? Why had they turned on Sirius so quickly? Without a single question or doubt?

 

Frank had been two years ahead of the 'Marauders’ in school, had been the prefect that failed to reign them in. He had seen the bond between Sirius and James, the two were closer than brothers. While Remus and Peter had been close friends… Sirius and James had something more.

 

Of course, Sirius being James’ cousin helped there, a bond of blood. Sirius being taken in by the Potters in sixth year only cemented their brotherly bond. Frank recalled conversations where Sirius had mentioned his Aunt Dorea was more his mum than his mother had ever been.

 

Both Sirius and James had been crushed when the elder Potters had died.

 

As he finished writing Frank tuned in to the talk around him.

 

“I should have known Black was a dark sonovva bitch” it was Auror Reynolds

 

“Whatever do you mean?” His partner asked, cultured tone a clear contrast.

 

“Well, e’s a Black, inne? All Dark basterds them lot. His mum was charged _again_ last week with torturing Muggles but got off cos of 'er money.

 

There's a rumour goin' 'round 'n all that 'e near killed someone at 'Ogwarts too. Some sort of _incident_ that were hushed up. No doubt 'is money again… It’s 'bout time one ov 'em were caught”

 

Frank blinked, what was this rumour about Hogwarts? He'd never heard of anyone being badly hurt by any of the Marauders pranks. Yeah, many had verged on cruel simply by number aimed at two or three individuals but he had come down hard on them when he could prove it. The Marauders had received just as many in return too so their war with Slytherin had been well matched.

 

It must have been after his time at the school.

 

 _Oh Sirius, you fool!_ He thought sadly _. Just what have you gotten into?_

 

~#~

 

Frank's meeting with Moody went to plan. The grizzled old Head Auror was more than willing to investigate. It helped that Frank had used his influence as a Lord to get some of the Purebloods whispering among themselves.

 

Yes, Sirius had been blasted off the family tree, his mother had made that well know, but Old Arcturus Black hadn't made a proclamation of Disownment. That still made Sirius Black the Black Heir Apparent, and if _he_ could be sent to prison with no trial? Who else could be?

 

There was a Wizengamot Assembly due in five days, Frank was to ready his evidence to present it then and the Lords would order a trial.

 

Unbeknownst to the young Auror this was causing chaos in certain offices.

 

~#~

 

The search for young Harry Potter was still in full swing. The Goblins had confirmed that the Potter Heir was still alive! Therefore the suspicion was that Black had hidden him somewhere.

 

Aurors were scouring the country and pleas were going out on the Wizarding Wireless for witnesses to come forward.

 

It had been several days and he was a toddling child so they knew someone was caring for him somewhere but all tracking spells were failing. He must be behind some serious wards.

 

Albus Dumbledore was on the verge of a full blown meltdown. His carefully planned series of events had descended into chaos.

 

What did this mean for the prophecy? Could he have misidentified the children? Of course not! He had obviously been correct, the Potters had been attacked and now the Dark Lord was gone.

 

But so was the Potter child!

 

Where was he? Was he marked? Was the Dark Lord defeated? Or merely injured and driven into hiding?

 

Albus feared that this could indeed be the case and that Voldemort was the one who had taken Harry, a fear that he didn't dare share with anyone around. Better the boy be dead than raised by that monster!

 

Of course now the other potential prophecy child was missing, Frank Longbottom had sent his family into hiding and wouldn't tell anyone where they were!

 

And even more frustrating was how the boy kept poking his nose into matters that didn't involve him.

 

No, Albus needed to find Harry and make sure he was raised in the right environment. His Godfather was far too independent, Sirius had been becoming quite stubborn in recent months and reluctant to listen to Albus’ sage advice. Far better to leave him be.

 

Harry needed to be raised in the Light and with a firm guiding hand so that he could fulfill the destiny Albus had planned.

 

Now both children that fit the prophecy were out of his reach and it was all down to Black!

 

A few quiet words in the right ears soon had word spreading about Sirius’ little… ahem… indiscretions at school and the near fatal results of one prank.

 

A few reminders of his family's less savoury exploits helped things along too.

 

It was strange, the Headmaster pondered, how quickly a poor rumour could smother an excellent record of achievement.

 

~#~

 

Bartemius Crouch Sr was furious.

 

Longbottom was a fine young Auror but he was making waves.

 

At this rate there was going to be an in depth investigation into _every single_ inmate of Azkaban! Not only would this be an incredible strain on resources… especially while they were still catching the last few Death Eaters after the collapse of the Dark Order, but it could bring some inconvenient cases to light.

 

There were a number of… trouble makers… that Bartemius had sent there, all in order to keep the peace of course.

 

People that had tried to destabilise the Wizengamot or do unspeakable things like accuse his boy, his _Barty_ of being a Death Eater! Obviously just trying to distract him from his _duties!_

 

Hah! Well he showed them! A few years in prison would teach them to tell the truth!

 

He'd have to find a way to get young Lord Longbottom to shut up and pay attention elsewhere.

 

Perhaps a long medical leave? Obviously the strain of being betrayed by his partner was not much for the poor chap… he was getting paranoid.

 

He would start having a word with some senior Aurors, get their opinions. It wouldn't hurt that the rest of the department would soon know about the strain the poor man was under…

 

~#~

 

_November 11th, 1981_

 

With only two days to go before the Wizengamot Assembly, Albus was desperate. There was still no sign of the Potter Heir.

 

To make matters worse, Bellatrix Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange and shockingly Barty Crouch Jr had all been caught in the Longbottom War Wards and killed. The bodies all bore the Dark Mark.

 

With no way to refute the evidence, Bartemius Crouch Sr was out for blood, accusing people left and right of setting up his precious son and heir. That obviously the Dark were trying to destabilise the Light.

 

Albus stopped.

 

Why were the Dark Order members going after Longbottom Manor? What did they know that he didn't?

 

Frank and Sirius had been partners and close friends for over a year. Frank was the only person other than Moody who honestly thought Black was truly innocent. Frank's own family had disappeared just after the Potter Heir went missing.

 

Perhaps there was a correlation here!

 

After all, who else would Black trust with his Godson? None of the Dark Faction they had raided had held young Harry within their wards. His tracking spells were just as useless on young Neville as they were on Harry, they could well be in the same place!

 

The Death Eaters could well have arranged to collect young Harry but Frank backed out?

 

There was nothing for it. He hates to think another of his Gryffindors could have fallen so far from the Light, but it must be done.

 

For the Greater Good.

 

Albus floo’d Barty Sr.

 

~#~

 

_November 12th, 1981_

 

Frank woke with a jolt, where was he?! Last he remembered was sitting at his desk in the Aurors offices.

 

Trying to sit up he found that he was restrained, laid on a padded bench at a slight angle. There was a bright spotlight over the bench but the rest of the room shrouded in darkness so he couldn't make out the size or shape of the space.

 

Heart thrumming in his chest, Frank tried to calm down.

 

“No need to panic” he muttered to himself “you've been in worse scrapes, can't think of any but I'm sure there have been worse. C’mon, think! Gotta get out of here, get home to Alice and Neville”

 

Frank started exploring the restraints, trying to find a weak spot.

 

That's when the first cloaked figure came in.

 

 _“Unspeakables?!”_ Frank was shocked, he had _not_ expected to encounter a member of the government he worked for. “What the hell is going on here? I'm Auror First Class Franklin Grant Longbottom, Earl of Whickenham. I demand to know what is going on here!”

 

“The Accused has no right to demands” the monotone voice of the Unspeakable was just as disguised as the figure. “The Accused has been remanded for questioning. Your consent is not required at this time”

 

“Accused?!? Of _what?!”_ Frank's tone rose in a mix of anger and fear.

 

Two more anonymous figures appeared, both by his head.

 

“Franklin Grant Longbottom, you stand accused of the following crimes. Kidnapping, Obstruction of an Auror Investigation, Perjury, Accessory to Criminal Acts including but not limited to Murder and Treason, Aiding and Abetting a Known Criminal and Concealing said Criminal Acts. How do you plead?”

 

“Wait, what!? No… not guilty! What the _fuck_ are you on about?!” Frank struggled against his bonds.

 

“Let the record indicate that the Accused is not cooperating willingly and that the administration of Veritaserum has been authorized. Three drops”

 

Frank glared but opened his mouth, he would soon prove his innocence.

 

Soon he felt the drowsiness that came with ministry grade truth serum and relaxed into the bonds.

 

 _“Name”_ “Franklin Grant Longbottom”

 _“Occupation”_ “Auror First Class, Lord of Whickenham”

 _“Tell me the light is orange”_ a blue light flared “The light is...o….o...blue” Frank panted and nearly threw up from attempting to fight the serum.

 

_“Very good. Veritaserum verified, questioning may commence”_

 

_“Where is Harry Potter?”_

 

“I don't know”

 

_“Where is the Potter Heir?”_

 

“I don't know”

 

_“When did you last see Harry Potter?”_

 

“July 30th, he and Neville shared a party. Harry fell in the cake so they left”

 

_“Where is Neville Longbottom?”_

 

“With my wife”

 

_“Where did you send your wife and child?”_

 

“Hiding, hidden away… family secret… can't... can't tell. Safe. Safe. They are safe with the Vines”

 

_“TELL ME WHERE THEY ARE”_

 

Frank began to shake and bow against the bonds as he started to have a seizure.

 

“They...th…they...are SAFE… in the vines… vi….vines...safe”

 

_“Who is there?”_

 

“Mother, Alice and Neville. Family...fa…family. Mmmmother, Alice, Neville”

 

_“Who else? Who else is with them? Damnit, give him another dose, he's resisting”_

 

Frank thrashed in the ropes, not even noticing as they tore his skin.

 

“Just Mother, Alice and Neville. Motherrrr, Alisssss…. Nnnn...nnnn...Nevillll”

 

One of the other figures tried to hold him down, hissing to their leader “damnit, he's telling the truth, look at him!”

 

“He's got to be lying, where else can the Potter boy be?” The hood leant back in to Frank's twitching form.

 

_“Why are you helping Sirius Black?”_

 

“I think he's innocent, would never betray James. He deserves a trial. Even if he's guilty gotta do it right, see how he fooled us”

 

_“Where is Harry Potter?”_

 

“I don't know”

 

They continued for the full three hours of the doses if Veritaserum. Frank's answers never changing.

 

“Damnit” the senior Unspeakable growled “How is he beating the serum? Give him another dose”

 

“But sir, that could kill him! No-one has ever had three doses! Surely it makes more sense that he's just telling the truth?”

 

“Dumbledore and Crouch both testified against him, that he's been stirring up trouble. He knows _something_ damnit, why else would he be trying to get scum like Black off the hook? Or hide his family _after_ the fall of You-Know-Who? I'll get to bottom of this if it kills me”

 

“Or kills him you mean” the junior Unspeakable muttered “I'm sorry but I have to protest. I don't think this is warranted”

 

“Dismissed then, go see Croaker for Obliviation and a new assignment” the senior Unspeakable snarled his displeasure.

 

As the anonymous figure left the remaining pair turned back to the near unconscious figure of Frank Longbottom.

 

“And you, do you have any doubts?”

 

“No sir”

 

“Then dose him, and tighten the restraints”

 

Frank moaned as a third dose was dropped between his lips. He felt loose, disconnected. He couldn't grasp his thoughts and felt like he would fall apart at the seams. Memories floated past his eyes and emotions overflowed.

 

He started to cry, broken sobs as his thoughts left him. Desperately he clung onto the memories of his sweet Alice and baby Neville, anchors in the storm.

 

Vaguely he was aware of a voice tearing at him.

 

 _“Auror Longbottom!”_ The Unspeakable slapped the crying man _“Where is Harry Potter?!”_

 

“I don't know, where? Where is he? Where's Neville?! Where's my boy?”

 

 _“No Auror, I'm asking_ **_you_ ** _. Where is the boy who was known as Harry Potter?”_

 

“Please help him, please help”

 

Frank couldn't grasp the thoughts in his head anymore, he let himself tumble into the torrent of memories and lights his mind had become.

 

“Sirius said Harry is with him now. Invisible, silent Harry. I didn't see Harry? Did you see Harry? Can you see Neville? Where's my baby… Alice...ALICE… safe...safe in the vines my love… wait for me...wait in the vines”

 

The senior Unspeakable shook him but it was no use, the Aurors eyes were vacant, glazed and utterly unresponsive.

 

“Get a healer down here. See if you can get any sense out of him!”

 

~#~

 

After a further week it was obvious that the Unspeakables had broken Frank Longbottom. The healers had tried everything at their disposal but the young Auror remained trapped. The thin wall that separated memory from thought was shredded beyond repair and his mind was chaos.

 

He couldn't lie but he also couldn't tell now from then, here from there or even imaginary from real.

 

The Healers advised putting him in St Mungo's for around the clock care and careful monitoring in case he came back to himself.

 

~#~

 

Dumbledore sighed sadly. Another fine young wizard lost to foolishness.

 

After consulting with Barty Crouch Sr he reluctantly agreed that Frank would probably be as well in a cell. That way they could keep this whole mess from the newspapers and avoid alerting any accomplices.

 

With Frank missing the Wizengamot Assembly the whole sordid affair had been gently swept aside. Moody was reluctant but understanding that it had to wait until Harry had been found.

 

Word was spread around the department that Frank had taken his friend and partner's betrayal hard and had gone to join his family in seclusion. They felt badly for the poor chap but soon forgot the fuss he made.

 

~#~

 

For months the Unspeakables kept Frank in one of their own cells, this was valuable research after all into Veritaserum aftereffects and pushing the dose.

 

But after a year they reluctantly decided they had learnt all they could and Frank's catatonic body was smuggled across to Azkaban on a supply run.

 

He was put into minimum security as he wasn't a risk but why waste the resource of the hospital on some crazy criminal? Or at best accomplice.

 

Barty and Dumbledore remained convinced that Frank knew the location of the Potter Heir, each blaming the other for the failure of the Unspeakables.

 

It would be years before anyone realised that Frank had indeed given them a clue during his interrogation.

 

But all too late to save a young Lord and Auror the years of torment and loss. One man of honour against a system of rot.

 

~#~

 

_Azkaban Prison, Low Security Wing, August 2nd 1988_

 

Nipsy continued to stroke Sad Master's hair and hum an Elven lullaby. It would be dawn soon and time to leave the good masters and misses for another day.

 

But Sad Master was sleeping easier now, was warm again. Nipsy knew that Sad Master's mind was broken but hoped that time and love would heal him.

  
Nipsy was certain that Master Sirees and Master Harry would one day get free and help the other innocents here and then Sad Master could find his family and no be sad noes more.

And Nipsy would go with Sad Master, cos Sad Master would need a  _good Elf_ and Nipsy was tired of this sad, no good place.


End file.
